Santa Cruz Skateboards
A couple of Santa Cruz surfers were selling board materials and putting together cheap skateboard parts so they could "ride the asphalt" when the waves were flat. They were young, creative and in love with surfing.
"It was never about making money," said Richard Novak, 71, who co-founded NHS Inc. In 1973 with surfboard-maker Doug Haut and Jay Shuirman. "All we cared about was surfing."Celebrating 40 years in business this year, NHS is now a multimillion-dollar venture and the oldest company in the world dedicated to selling skateboards.